Meet SoFi, the robot fish that can study sea life

To observe marine life, scientists normally use remote operated devices - expensive, noisy, large that tended to scare animals away. SoFi is small and inexpensive, and since its mimics fish, creatures often swim alongside the robot, giving the robot the best view of marine life in action.

Its housing is made from moulded and 3D printed plastics, meaning it is cheap and fast to fabricate. It has got a built-in buoyancy tank full of compressed air that means it can adjust its depth and linger at specific points in the water column.